Scott Gobrecht, the new owner of Susquehanna Speedway, said, "I have always had a love for racing."

Gobrecht wears many different hats. He is the guy at Golf Cart Services, the owner of a 410 Sprint Car team, the man in charge of the Central Pa. Legends series and Racing Extravaganza show, and now, the owner of Susquehanna Speedway. His resume puts a lot of evidence in place to support his statement.

The question is: Can he balance it all? He feels good about doing just that.

The key is relationships. In business, at the track, and in general, Gobrecht feels this is a big key to success. Right now it’s about putting the right people in the right places and building teams that will help Gobrecht micro manage all of his projects.

Gobrecht’s love for racing started by going to school with Stevie Smith and spending a lot of time after school at his dad’s shop.

“It was something I really enjoyed, and then over the years I have been fortunate enough to drive and work on cars," he said. "Then I started getting involved in the business side of it. I feel like I can bring a nice complement to this sport.”

Gobrecht’s background in the family business helps.

“I have learned a lot in the past years working with my father and my brother that really helped in the business side," he said. "A lot of this comes down to relationships. I have good working relationships with other tracks and series, as well as team owners and drivers. You know things are going good when you can do business and have fun at something you enjoy all at the same time.”

Gobrecht and his new general manager, Kolten Gouse, plan to keep a good relationship with most of the Susquehanna Speedway classes. They are excited to work with the new divisions coming out of the William Grove Saturday night series, as well as the ones from the past that have supported the speedway.

“We have a great opportunity to merge the two together," Gobrecht said. "I’m really proud of the fact we are working on a schedule that gives races to almost all the classes that were there in the past and the Saturday night series cars”

With the winter season finally starting to act like winter in Central Pa, the staff and volunteers are working hard to start buttoning up some of the outside improvements. They are really trying to focus on inside things at the track now, but more importantly they are trying to put together a team that shares the vision that Gobrecht and Gouse share.

Gouse comes to the speedway from Kasey Kahne Racing, where he has been on the road for many years. Gobrecht said he started dealing with Gouse through his largely successful National Open benefit held as Williams Grove. When Gobrecht was ready to start the venture of owning a speedway, Gouse was the guy he thought would fit.

Gobrecht said, “Kolten has toured and has seen over 600 races in the last few years. He has seen a lot of what is working and what is not. Neither of us have spent time in a ticket office or food stand, but that’s not what I was looking for when I was searching for the person for the job.”

One of the biggest hills the team will have to challenge is the comparison of the Saturday Night Series to Silver Spring and Williams Grove. For the fans asking if the track is preparing to try to grab that Silver Spring feel? Gobrecht says yes, but that will fall on the shoulders of Gouse more than himself.

“To be honest I don’t know what that feel is," he said. "I grew up at Lincoln Speedway, but Kolten saw a lot of racing at Silver Spring, so he knows a little more and he talks about it often. I wasn’t there to know what it was like, but I sure hope we can find something that comes close to the success that Alan Kreitzer and his family created there. I don’t know that the world we live in will ever allow it to get back to the way it once was. We want to try to get close and make it where people come to have fun and see good racing and grow everything together.”

Gobrecht is worried about one of the challenges he thought he might face growing up around the Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown.

“Growing up at Lincoln I saw the animosity toward the track from the neighbors there," he said. "They didn’t always appreciate the speedway and they didn’t care for the noise or the camping and all of that. It’s not like that here. The neighbors are excited about us being here. These people want this place to thrive and get it back to where we want it to be.”

So far, Gobrecht says he thinks one big thing he will take away from all of this is just how speedways are like a living animal. Currently they are working to replace the backstretch wall and they realize there is nothing that goes easy or quick. The obstacles have not been huge, but one big thing that helps keep the obstacles smaller is all the support they have from the local community. He says helpers bring themselves and equipment and they are ripping and tearing and building everywhere.

For Gobrecht, there was a decision to make regarding his current duty as a 410 Sprint car owner. He says the team has four frames and two complete cars ready to go for the upcoming season.

“I think we had a good rookie season with Chase Dietz and his family and I am looking forward to our 2016 season," Gobrecht said. "We are working on where and when we will race and how we are going to work things. We have done a tremendous amount of work for the 2016 season.”

Gobrecht also handles the Central Pa Legend series, which he said just had its banquet; the biggest one to date.

“We had a lot of good things to talk about and what we are working on for 2016," he said. "I still want to stay involved in everything and I am real fortunate to have a team in place that helps with this series. I feel like we have accomplished a lot developing the series and relationships with tracks.”

Gobrecht’s passion for fielding a sprint car team and helping the Central Pa Legend Cars came from his former driving days. But there was little hesitation when I asked Scott if he would return to the seat of a race car.

“I really don’t think so. I miss it pretty strongly, and I think about it a lot. I am almost 50 years old and there comes a point where you just realize there a lot at stake if something were to go wrong. Plus, what we all went through with (his late brother) Kevin, I just don’t want to be in that situation for Golf Cart Services, my parents, or my family. What helps with missing it is being involved with all this other stuff. It lets me stay connected to the sport without being in the seat.”

Even during the offseason Gobrecht is busy with the new Racing Extravaganza show in York. The show, formally known as the Central Pa. Dirt Trackin' Show, has new life. The show will move to a new state-of-the-art area and with a new date seems to continue to gain steam even though it's just a few weeks away. The show will have many features, but in my opinion none cooler than having the car Kevin Gobrecht won the historic “Big One” at Eldora Speedway on display.

Gobrecht said, “I remember the Sunday night races at Susquehanna Speedway and how when I was a kid that was so special to me. You walked out of the gate and the sun was just starting to set so you went to the races.”

Gobrecht is shooting to keep these fond memories alive for race fans with Sunday dates. Thursday may be an option as well in the future. He enjoyed success in his Legend Car racing at Susquehanna and says its humbling to to be able to continue the traditions that go with the track.

“I had the privilege to sit down with the family that built the speedway and to hear them tell stories of the track from when they were young," he said, "and the things they did just reminded of Golf Cart Services and the things we did. To see the passion just reminds me how special it is to be the caretaker of a race track.”

Free-lance writer Mike Batz can be reached at Mbatz_LDN@columnist.com and on Twitter @Mbatz_LDN.